My teaching philosophy
I remember very clearly the first time I ever helped someone with their singing. It was in an NYU dorm basement, and my friend Lisa was struggling with parts of Suddenly Seymour, a song she had been assigned as part of the musical theater summer program we were both attending. She couldn’t figure it out, so I listened to my instincts and gave her some advice on how to navigate the challenging sections. Shockingly, it worked. She sounded and felt better. This was the first voice lesson I ever taught.
I’ve since had a performing career that has taken me all over the country, in addition to continuing my education at the master’s and doctoral level, but when I think about how my teaching career got started, I always go back to that dorm basement. In that moment, I tapped into something that would set the tone for my teaching career: the desire to help.
When I began to formalize my education in vocal pedagogy, musical theatre performance, and education, I found myself motivated by the same desire I formed in that basement. My performing career had been marked with moments of vocal struggle, so I sought to learn as much I could about the voice to help singers steer clear of the issues I had faced. The desire to help has remained present in all my academic endeavors.
As a voice teacher, my approach to teaching voice is fact-based and holistic. My education in voice science has given me a comprehensive understanding of the voice, which is the basis for all my teaching. I lead with vocal function and aim to have all my singers feel freedom and ease in their entire voice. I do this by leading them through an exploration of all parts of their voice, not just the areas where they excel. This type of cross-training has been shown to benefit singers, especially those in the musical theatre industry where the vocal demands are high. This remains crucial to my teaching.
Vocal health is also paramount to my work. Musical theatre singers face some of the most grueling vocal demands in the performing industry. I experienced these demands first-hand when I was a performer, as well as through my work as a Production Vocal Coach. I have seen the challenges that singers face when they lack the tools to properly navigate their vocal health. Having a comprehensive understanding of vocal health and injury is an essential aspect of a performing career and plays a role in my approach to voice lessons. I teach techniques that focus on injury prevention and sustainability. I also work with singers who have sustained vocal injuries, helping them re-train their singing voice. I have watched singers go from terrified that they will never sing again, to successfully re-entering the work force, free of vocal limitations.
In my attempt to help each of my student singers improve, I find myself taking a student-centered approach in lessons. My background in voice science gives me an understanding of vocal function that allows for a more flexible approach to teaching voice. I can create exercises for each student that not only helps their voice improve but makes sense to the student intellectually. The pace of each lesson is determined by the student, as I always take time to assess their understanding of our work. I lead with questions and use motor learning principles, such as delayed feedback, to allow time for processing and reflection after each exercise. I’ve found that this approach helps my students become more self-aware, which leads to better practicing skills, as reflected in their practice journals and midterm practice assignments. These improved practicing skills ultimately lead to better singing and better problem solving.
I believe in transparency and respect in education, which is distinct from older models of performing arts training that place the teacher in a master role, with the student as the subordinate learner. I believe that we all benefit when we approach education with shared goals, mutual respect, and inclusive empowerment. I lead with clarity in my teaching, both in and out of the voice studio. I create open pathways for questions and divergent opinions, and spend time setting goals and intentions with each singer. I strive for no ambiguity in our work together. I believe that clarity and communication are key to creating an equitable learning environment, where respect is present on both ends.
Finally, I believe in creating a classroom and program that centers the needs of all performing arts students. The musical theatre industrial complex has historically centered and favored some voices and experiences, while ignoring others. It is no longer acceptable to lean on old, tired practices that are rooted in patriarchal structures that center the White experience. To prepare the artists of the future, it is essential that we, as educators, hone anti-racist views, anti-patriarchal practice, and an equitable mindset, as we work to make all students feel seen, heard, and educated. I do not have all the answers as to how we can turn the voice and theatrical community into anti-racist, equitable institutions, but this does not stop my work. I will keep learning and fighting to make changes that create an environment where all students can learn and succeed.
